If you have a cracked or chipped tooth, it can alter the look of your smile. In some cases, damage to a tooth can make you feel less confident about your appearance. Still, there are several cosmetic dental applications that can be used to correct a cracked or chipped tooth. Here are a few of them:

Veneers

A veneer is a thin piece of dental ceramic material or resin that can be applied to the front of a tooth to correct its imperfections. Once the veneer is applied, the tooth takes on the appearance of the veneer. Cracks and chips are fully concealed. In addition, if the color of the tooth changed due to the trauma that was suffered, the veneer can be matched to the hue of the other teeth in the patient's mouth.

Dental veneers that are made of ceramic material are usually created in a dental laboratory. As a result, it can take two dental visits to complete an application. During the first visit, a mold of the tooth is made to be used as a guide for the lab production of the dental veneer. During the second visit, the veneer is applied to the tooth. If the dentist has computer-aided design/manufacturing technology in his or her office, the ceramic veneer may be made in the office using digital imaging and a computerized milling machine. In such cases, only a single appointment may be needed. 

With resin veneers, the dentist is generally able to complete the application during one dental visit.

Dental Bonding Material 

Composite dental bonding material can be applied to the damaged area of a tooth to fill in the missing piece. Thus, cracks can be smoothed out, and chips can be filled in. To apply the material, the dentist molds the pliable material to your tooth. After the material is properly shaped, it can be hardened with a specialized dental light.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown can be used to cover the natural crown of a damaged tooth. Once a crown is in place, it covers the crack or chip and reinforces the tooth to correct structural deficiencies.

Crowns can be fashioned from multiple materials, such as porcelain, porcelain-over-metal, resin, stainless steel or metal alloy. However, tooth-colored materials are usually preferred. Thus, porcelain, porcelain-over-metal or resin is typically selected.

To learn more ways to correct a cracked or chipped tooth, consult with a cosmetic dentist in your area or a clinic like Elk Plaza Dental.